Section C Milgram Example Answer

Section C ­ Social Approach a/b/c17 (a) Outline one assumption of the social approach in psychology. [2]One assumption of the social approach, is that our behaviour: the way we think, feel or behave asindividuals comes as a result of our interactions with others in society. For example, the ideas of conformityand obedience are studied and the way in which the implied presence of others affects our behaviour. Thisapproach supports the situational explanation that our behaviour is dependent on situations we are facedwith, not necessarily the individuals we are.(b) Describe how the social approach could explain obedience. [4]Obedience could be explained as behaviour which comes as a result of the presence of an authority figure.It supports a situational explanation that we obey when we feel we are committed to do so if we are told soby authority figures. It suggests that any individual can obey orders to harm others, and that the situation aperson is in has the power to override morality and conscience ­ it can be brought to any individual with theappropriate conditions as seen in the Milgram study where 65% of participants were made to believe yet stillcontinued to administer electrical shock to a stranger with the knowledge that person would be facing harm.(c) Describe one similarity and one difference between the Milgram study and any other socialapproach study. [6]One similarity between Milgram's study and Piliavin, Rodin, and Piliavin's study is that both made use ofobservational techniques within their research. For example, in Milgram's study, a controlled observationwas adopted. In this case the experimenter was present in the room where the participant was during theiradministration of false electric shocks as they took on the role of `teacher' in what they believed was anexperiment about the effects of punishment and learning. The experimenter was in the room observing theparticipant and if questioned by the participant would reply in a series of prods such as "Please continue" or"You have no other choice, you must go on". In Piliavin's study, the two female confederates that were partof a team of four also observed but in an unobtrusive manner, taking note of data such as spontaneouscomments made by passengers on trains and the race, sex and location of helpers.One difference between Milgram's study and Piliavin's study is the type of sample obtained. In Piliavin'sstudy, those participating were unaware of their participation in the study so that demand characteristicswould not affect results. They consisted of 4450 men and women that were present on the New Yorksubway between April and June, 11am to 3pm on the A and D trains of 8th Avenue. In Milgram's studyhowever, the sample was self selected and obtained by adverts in newspapers and direct mailings. Thestudy included 40 males aged 2050 from the New Haven area in the United States. Participants were toldthey would be paid $4.50 for their time.